NEW ORLEANS -- The physical toll of Sunday's 31-21 win was exemplified by tight end Delanie Walker, who was the last player out of the 49ers locker room and needed to be carted to the team bus because of a hip injury.

At least five other 49ers suffered injuries, too. If Walker's isn't the most serious, then wide receiver Kyle Williams' left knee injury might be with possibly torn ligaments. Coach Jim Harbaugh said all injuries were being evaluated and shared no insight on their severity, pending probable X-rays and MRIs.

Walker was on his cell phone and unavailable for comment as he exited the stadium. He apparently injured his hip in the fourth quarter, but only after catching a season-high three passes for 81 yards.

That same cart Walker used was shared earlier in the game by Williams and running back Kendall Hunter, who suffered a left-ankle injury on the same third-quarter play in which Williams was injured. Williams promptly was ruled out from returning, and Hunter didn't come back either despite being called questionable.

Right tackle Anthony Davis (right hand) and linebacker Aldon Smith (left shoulder) remained in the game despite their injuries. Davis injured his right hand on a third-quarter run block.

Smith aggravated a 2-week-old shoulder injury in the third quarter but tested it out by doing 10 push-ups on the sideline. "I dinged it up a little bit but went back in," Smith said.

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Harbaugh noted that "an issue" with Ted Ginn Jr.'s wrist and hand kept him sidelined after he muffed a second-quarter punt return at the 49ers' 12-yard line.

The Saints also suffered several casualties. Bryce Harris, a replacement starter at right tackle, left early with a leg injury. Wide receiver Marques Colston and Lance Moore were shaken up by hard hits, as was safety Isa Abdul-Quddus, who tried to break up a 25-yard reception by Walker in the fourth quarter.

Saints defensive tackle Brodrick Bunkley was ejected in the fourth quarter for kicking offensive lineman Alex Boone in the head while Boone lay on the ground during a field-goal attempt. "He just was mad and upset about something," Boone said. "He kicked me in the face, and I wasn't happy about it. My coaches asked me not to do anything (in response), and I didn't."

Frank Gore ran for 71 of his 83 yards after halftime. So proud was Gore of his offensive linemen that he said half-jokingly: "With those boys, I've got a good five more (seasons) in me."

Smith's 1½ sacks gave him a league-leading 16½ this season, two more than the Houston Texans' J.J. Watt. Smith has 30½ sacks in 27 career regular-season games, making him the fastest player to reach the 30-sack mark since the NFL began tracking that stat in 1982. "We knew we were going to put pressure on them because that's how we do it," Smith said of the 49ers' five sacks against Drew Brees.

The last time the 49ers returned two interceptions for touchdowns was in 1995 against the St. Louis Rams, when linebacker Ken Norton Jr. accounted for both scores.

Mario Manningham caught a team-high five passes for 69 yards, including the first three attempts by Colin Kaepernick.

David Akers' fourth-quarter field goal (27 yards) extended his streak of making at least one in all 27 games as a 49er. In the final five minutes Sunday, he missed a 50-yard attempt and had a 33-yard kick blocked.

The 49ers improved to 10-3 on the road under Harbaugh.

Kaepernick's four rushing touchdowns are the most by a 49ers quarterback since Jeff Garcia had seven in 2003.

Fullback Bruce Miller had a season-high three receptions for a career-high 37 yards.